Is there anything I need to watch for when installing the strips?View Answer.

Yes. On the RGB flex strips, you need to be careful that the (+) "Black wire" doesn't touch/short to one of the colored wires as it could fry the mofset in the controller for that color. If that occurs, that color would always stay on. It is always good to double check, to make sure none of the wires are touching, before you power the lights. While the black wire on the RGB strips is (+) the Black wire on the single color strips and the "Male/Female Power Connectors" is (-) (so if there are only 2x wires (Red/Black) then Black = (-) & Red = (+).

Yes, any 12V DC power supply will work as long as the output rating is high enough for the length of strip you are trying to connect to it (for a 5' strip you would need at least a 1000mA or 1A or 12w DC power supply). You can always use a larger power supply than what is needed. However, a power supply which is too small may cause your lights to be dim or flash on/off; it may also kill the power supply. For LEDs we recommend a switching mode power supply as opposed to a heavy magnetic transformer, as switching mode power supplies have a regulated output voltage that doesn't change based on input voltage. You can even use an old power supply out of a computer as they are well designed and can handle some large loads.

No. You can run low voltage wire/control cable up to 50 feet in most cases. But keep in mind the longer the run the more voltage drop you will have and while it can be hard to notice with LED lights they may not be as bright as they could be if they were shorter runs. On long runs and using the RGB strips set to white you may notice a change in the color temp the farther you go from the power supply so keep it short or use larger wire if you have long runs.

In order to connect up to 2 rolls, you should use at least 22 gauge wire. If you use 16-18 gauge wire, you can connect up to 4 rolls at a time (2 in each direction). For longer runs (over 10'-15'), you can run multiple wires or use a larger gauge wires in order to avoid color change/drop in brightness due to voltage drop.

I would like to use a strip outside where it could get wet, but I don't want to use the thicker IP-68 strip. Can I just use the IP-65 strip?View Answer.

Yes, you can use the standard IP-65 strip, as it does have a waterproof coating on the front side (just not on the back side). We recommend that you use silicone and seal along the edges to help make it more waterproof (this also works well on motorcycles and under deck railings).

Yes and no. While LEDs are quite durable and will work great in most any environment, heat is the main cause for shortened LED lifespan. Therefore, the cooler you can keep the LEDs, the longer they will last (if you can keep them below 80°C you should get the rated life out of them). With this in mind, leaving them on for extended periods of time while on the reel or bunched up in a confined space will shorten their lifespan.

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